What is the future of Beaver Stadium? Penn State AD Pat Kraft shares his thoughts
Indianapolis, Ind. — Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft has only been on the job for 27 days. But, he’s well aware of a question that has long been asked but never answered: What’s the future of Beaver Stadium?
The iconic 107,000-seat venue on the east side of the school’s sprawling State College campus could be renovated. Or, the university could decide to tear it down and build a brand new facility. Studies have been conducted, long-term plans have been discussed, and administrators have been endlessly asked about what Penn State will do. Kraft, who took over for Sandy Barbour on July 1, didn’t have specifics on Wednesday when he addressed reporters during Big Ten Media Days. But, he knows those will be needed sooner rather than later.
“Listen, I’ve played there,” Kraft said. “I’ve been on the sidelines as an administrator. I get goosebumps every time I come from the airport and I look up at our logo lit up. It’s a special, iconic building. I got very emotional walking with my two children, that gate opening, and my face on that scoreboard. I get goosebumps thinking about it now, I love that building. And it’s a historical building in my eyes.
“What I have to figure out is, is it safe? How long can we keep it standing? That’s the question. But you know, if it’s gonna fall down, then you got to figure it out. We’re gonna do everything to keep that thing up and running.”
‘We have to make decisions’ Penn State AD Pat Kraft says
Penn State has long used Beaver Stadium almost exclusively for just seven home football games a year. It hosted a concert a few years back, and there have been a couple of instances where it was used for something other than football. But, by and large, it has not been monetized to the best of its abilities. Whether that’s because not all of the amenities are updated or if a lack of creativity and planning is the culprit, Kraft intends to change that.
“We got to find other ways to use it,” Kraft said. “That building should be used more than seven days, in my opinion. We have to find ways to do that. We’ve got to provide ourselves the opportunity to really generate more revenue off it.
“We got to make decisions, and then move on to the next thing. And so that one is a big one because time, money, and we have to really focus. There was a study. We’re starting to peel the onion on that. What does it really mean, and what’s the next step? I think we’ll have that answer in short order.”
However, how short of an order it will be remains to be seen. One thing is clear after listening to Kraft, however: The new Penn State athletic director is a man who knows how to both develop a plan and execute it.
